I need a third hand to operate this walk behind.

[~~~^^^larry^^^~~~]

she is an X-Series SP20 with a 6" fab deck. just brought her home yesterday.
she is a 2-year old with about 939 hours.
got her unloaded and checked out, then went to mowing with her.
after several jerky starts and stops, i started using my chest/belly to move the speed selector lever forward and my chin to pull it back.
the manual says to put the Neutral Lock Latch in place when changing the speed selector lever.
in real world practice, i imagine that folks are NOT stopping each time they change the speed selector lever.
when i get into tight spaces i do better at speed 1 or 2.
switching from the normal hand grip position to the speed selector lever and back again, even quickly, results in some rather violent jerking from side to side, esp. in the higher numbers of the speed selector range.
so, i learned that that speed selector lever could be increased by pushing forward on it with my sternum, and if i really needed to pull that speed selector lever back to a slow speed or put it in Neutral, i could, somewhat awkwardly, pull it back with my chin.
do y'all have any other techniques for changing the speed selector lever while on-the-go?

inquiring minds.

thanks,
~~~^^^larry^^^~~~

 

[Ric]

she is an X-Series SP20 with a 6" fab deck. just brought her home yesterday.
she is a 2-year old with about 939 hours.
got her unloaded and checked out, then went to mowing with her.
after several jerky starts and stops, i started using my chest/belly to move the speed selector lever forward and my chin to pull it back.
the manual says to put the Neutral Lock Latch in place when changing the speed selector lever.
in real world practice, i imagine that folks are NOT stopping each time they change the speed selector lever.
when i get into tight spaces i do better at speed 1 or 2.
switching from the normal hand grip position to the speed selector lever and back again, even quickly, results in some rather violent jerking from side to side, esp. in the higher numbers of the speed selector range.
so, i learned that that speed selector lever could be increased by pushing forward on it with my sternum, and if i really needed to pull that speed selector lever back to a slow speed or put it in Neutral, i could, somewhat awkwardly, pull it back with my chin.
do y'all have any other techniques for changing the speed selector lever while on-the-go?

inquiring minds.

thanks,
~~~^^^larry^^^~~~

Can I ask what make this mower is and is a belt drive??

 

[~~~^^^larry^^^~~~]

Can I ask what make this mower is and is a belt drive??

Yep! She is an eXmark and the deck is a belt drive with 2 belts, one from the bottom of the engine to the deck and another for the blades.

but, of course, the wheels are hydraulic, each with its own motor and each with its own hydraulic pump for that motor.

all the best,
~~~^^^larry^^^~~~